Premiership of Imran Khan

Premiership of Imran Khan August 18, 2018 – April 10, 2022
President	Mamnoon Hussain (until September 2018) Arif Alvi (after September 2018)
Cabinet	Imran Khan government
Party	Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
Election	2018
Seat	Prime Minister's Office
← Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Shehbaz Sharif →

This article is part of a series about Imran Khan
Personal Early life Electoral history Family Awards and honours Pakistan: A Personal History Pets Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital Namal College Cricket career Cricket career International cricket five-wicket hauls 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan Premiership Government Oath of office First 100 days International trips Ehsaas Programme Kamyab Jawan Program Plant for Pakistan Raast Roshan Digital Account Laws Pakistan Army Act, 2020 Pakistan Navy Act, 2020 Pakistan Airforce Act, 2020 COVID-19 pandemic No-confidence motion Constitutional crisis Lettergate Post-premiership Legal affairs Al-Qadir Trust case Toshakhana reference case Tyrian White case Iddat case Protests 2022–2023 Pakistan political unrest 2022 Azadi March I 2022 Azadi March II 2023 Pakistani protests May 9 riots Assassination attempt Arrest Elections 1997 2002 2013 2018 Politics Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf 2014 Tsunami March Inqilab March Ihtisab March
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The premiership of Imran Khan began when Imran Khan became the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan on 17 August 2018, following his oath of office ceremony, which came after his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf secured a victory in the 2018 Pakistani election. His campaign in the elections primarily focused on anti-corruption and populism.

Imran Khan was sworn-in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan on 18 August 2018 at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad.^[1] His cabinet consisted of sixteen ministers and five advisors. He kept portfolio of interior ministry to himself.^[2] In his celebration speech before swearing in and the inaugural speech after swearing-in he mentioned that he will build and run Pakistan on principles of first Islamic state of Medina.^[3][4]

When he took office, he presented a 100-day plan to quickly reform the country in a short period of time. He made significant changes to the country's bureaucracy and military with several key appointments. Khan's cabinet included many Musharraf-era ministers and former members of the Pakistan People's Party. His government undertook major cabinet reorganizations and faced financial challenges that led to an IMF bailout and the implementation of austerity measures. By 2020, Pakistan's balance of payments improved, fiscal deficit narrowed and tax collections had reached record levels.

Khan's foreign policy tried to make Pakistan a respected player on the international stage. He emphasized the unity of Muslims in his efforts against Islamophobia and his leadership in the OIC. Khan and his close foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, established good relations with Saudi Arabia, although he announced that he would seek to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia in their proxy conflict. Khan maintained a firm stance on the Kashmir issue and refused to negotiate with India until autonomy was restored in Indian-administered Kashmir. Khan also criticized the US drone campaign in Pakistan and said the Taliban-led Afghan government should be recognized and not isolated.

Domestically, Khan's government launched an anti-corruption campaign and improved security. His administration restored minority religious sites. In social policy, he reformed education, improved health care and expanded large welfare programs, the most notable of which were the Ehsaas Programme and Sehat Sahulat Program. His government passed the Zainab Alert Bill as an attempt to increase the rights and safety of women in Pakistan. His environmental initiatives, mainly Plant for Pakistan, increased renewable energy and attempted extensive reforestation of Pakistan. Khan has been criticized for certain comments and practices, even as he has been praised for handling the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, launching a massive welfare program and reviving the economy greatly.

He was removed from office in March 2022 following a no-confidence motion against his government, in which many of his coalition partners left his government, resulting in his removal as the first Pakistani prime minister to be removed by a no-confidence motion. Despite his tenure lasting three and a half years, his premiership saw important reforms in many areas, supporting domestic policies of welfare, an active foreign policy stance on many global issues, and key steps against corruption.